Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 10-24-17

Sports
Flowers Leads No. 16 South Florida Past Tulane, 34-28
TJ Ward Frustrated About Lack Of Playing Time
University Of South Florida star quarterback Quinton Flowers was just finishing his drop-back when blitzing Tulane linebacker Zachery Harris barreled unabated across the line of scrimmage with what looked like a clear path to a drive- stalling sack.
With a sudden step to his right, Flowers eluded the rush and then darted into the same opening through which Harris had blitzed before veering toward the left sideline for a first-down run on third and 10. The scramble exemplified Flow- ers’ pivotal influence on the game, extending a drive that concluded with Darius
QUINTON FLOWERS
Tice’s 45-yard touchdown run on a draw play.
Flowers passed for two touchdowns, ran for 138 yards and another score, and No. 16 South Florida ex- tended the nation’s longest
active winning streak to 12 games with a 34-28 victory over Tulane on Saturday night.
”I’d seen what the de- fense was doing to us and I knewIhadtotakeitinmy own hands and convert on third downs – and that’s what I did,” Flowers said. ”That’s what this team likes me to do.”
South Florida (7-0, 4-0 American) also scored at least 30 points in a game for a modern-era record 24th straight time.
”Our quarterback always has a big day,” Strong said. ”A lot of good runs on third down. Quinton was really key for us.”
TJ WARD
TJ Ward does not think he is getting what he signed up for in Tampa Bay.
After the Buccaneers lost their Week 7 game to the Buf- falo Bills on Sunday, the
three-time Pro Bowl safety ex- pressed frustration about not starting as well as his general lack of playing time.
After a memorable three- year stint in Denver as a member of the No Fly Zone (including a Super Bowl win), Ward was surprisingly re- leased by the Broncos over the summer and inked a one-year deal with the Bucs instead. But he has been stuck behind the likes of Keith Tandy and Chris Conte on the depth chart this season, adding to a highly disgruntling last couple of months for Ward.
Buccaneers' Season Starts To Slip Away With Third Straight Loss
Arizona Cardinals quar- terback Carson Palmer will have surgery to repair his broken left arm when the team returns home and could miss anywhere between eight weeks and the rest of the sea- son, coach Bruce Arians said Sunday night after a 33- 0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Drew Stanton, who fin- ished 5-of-14 for 62 yards and an interception in place of Palmer, will take over as the Cardinals' starter beginning Nov. 5 at San Francisco after their bye this weekend, Ari- ans confirmed.
"We played with Drew
The Tampa Bay Bucca- neers' season is slipping away quickly, and they have no one to blame but them- selves after falling 30-27 to the Buffalo Bills for their third straight loss.
The Buccaneers played well enough in the second half to win. But they're now 2-4, sinking deeper into the cellar of the NFC South, and the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton come to town next week. Then the Bucs are back on the road to take on Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, who just moved into first place in the NFC South.
"I feel like we are the only ones that can get ourselves out because we can't keep [losing]," coach Dirk Koet- ter said. "It hurts. It hurts a lot, but no one is coming to save us. We dug in. We've got to dig out."
Quarterback Jameis Winston said, "I don't want to be in this position. I'm very shocked, but we've got to fix it."
There was a barrage of self-inflicted mistakes all game on both sides of the ball. The defense struggled to contain Bills dual-threat quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who threw for 268 yards and had 53 yards on the ground, and running back LeSean
CARSON PALMER
before, you know," Arians said. "We have lost [Palmer] long. Drew has played and won a lot of games for us.
"All the confidence, he and Blaine [Gabbert] stepped up to take over the quarterback job."
Cardinals QB Carson Palmer
Has Broken Arm, Could
Miss Rest of Season
Jameis Winston threw for 300 yards for the ninth time in his career, but a sluggish first half doomed the Bucs.
In Marshawn Lynch
McCoy, who had 122 yards from scrimmage. The de- fense also couldn't get off the field on third down and missed tackles.
The two most devastating mistakes of all? A blown cov- erage on a 44-yard deep pass to Deonte Thompson with 3:14 to go, with Robert Mc- Clain getting an unneces- sary roughness call trying to save the touchdown. Then Adam Humphries lost a fumble after the Bills tied the game 27-27 with 2:28 to go.
"It's something I've done a hundred times in practice and games and unfortu- nately, the defender made a good play on it and I've got to take care of it," Humphries said. "It's
something we preach every week: You can't have turnovers. It's unfortunate that it had to happen on that last drive there, where I think momentum was [going] our way."
It didn't matter that Winston, hobbled by a sprained AC joint this week, threw three touchdowns in the second half, including two to rookie tight end O. J. Howard. Howard caught a 7-yard strike and a 33- yarder to tie the game in the fourth quarter. Winston then made a terrific throw to wide receiver Mike Evans, who slid across the back of the end zone in the fourth quarter on a 12-yard grab to give the Bucs a 27-20 lead.
Suspension Appeal
Marcus Peters To Testify
Marshawn Lynch will reportedly have the support of Marcus Peters during the appeal hearing for Lynch’s one-game suspen- sion for making contact with an official.
During Thursday’s game between the Chiefs and Raiders, Lynch ran onto the field during a skirmish be- tween both teams after a late hit on Derek Carr and was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for grabbing an official.
The NFL announced a suspension of one game for Lynch, which he has de- cided to appeal. When the appeal hearing takes place, Marcus Peters, who re- ceived a 15-yard penalty for
MARSHAWN LYNCH
his hit on Carr, will testify in support of Lynch.
Lynch and Peters are very close and it was specu- lated by several members of the media on Thursday Lynch’s involvement in the skirmish was likely to protect Peters. Lynch’s appeal hearing is expected to take place early next week.
PAGE 14 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017